Indonesian coffee creates a buzz at Taste of Amsterdam

Minister Counsellor for Sociocultural Affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague, Azis Nurwahyudi, said to the Antara News Agency in London on Monday that the event was an annual culinary promotional activity hosted by various restaurants in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for upper-middle class consumers.

The Indonesian Embassy in the Hague participated by featuring an Indonesian Coffee House theme to promote Indonesian coffee. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also attended the event during her transit in Amsterdam on her way from Paris to Jakarta.

This year, the Indonesian Embassy in the Hague presented an Indonesian Coffee House that was opened by Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja and attended by several entrepreneurs interested in importing Indonesian coffee, journalists, travel agents and other invitees.

Ambassador Puja said that the Taste of Amsterdam was an Indonesian culinary diplomacy event. This was the third time the Indonesian Embassy in the Hague had participated in this three-year event. In 2016, the theme of the event was to promote Indonesian coffee.

He said that coffee had become part of the history of relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands because it was Dutch traders who brought coffee beans to Indonesia in the 17th century.

According to the ambassador, coffee is one of Indonesia's key export commodities. Indonesia is the fourth largest coffee producer in the world. In 2015, Indonesia's coffee production was recorded at 550 thousand tons.

For four days, the Indonesian Coffee House was full of visitors. By the end of the event, 7,001 people had visited and enjoyed coffee and various Indonesian specialties. Of those visitors, 5,314 people had tasted the coffee that was distributed for free. During the Taste of Amsterdam, the Indonesian Embassy in the Hague worked together with Tanamera Coffee in Jakarta to provide Gayo and Malabar Natural coffee from Aceh.

Coffee enthusiasts in the Netherlands were impressed by the special taste of Indonesian coffee. Visitor Harry Puts also gave positive feedback on the taste of Indonesian Coffee. He suggested that Indonesian coffee should continue to be prepared without being mixed with coffee from other regions. "This coffee is delicious," he said while sipping Malabar Natural. Meanwhile, Michelle Spoelst said that she enjoyed the savory taste of Gayo coffee from Aceh. It was so delicious, she had asked for another glass.

Several café owners and food importers contacted the Indonesian Embassy in the Hague and expressed interest in starting to sell coffee in the Netherlands. Indonesian food was served by a group of Indonesian chefs living in the Netherlands called Indonesia Satu. They provided chicken satay, goat satay, ketoprak, soto betawi, and various traditional snacks like klapertaart, nastar, onde-onde, kue semprong and stuffed tofu.

Many visitors were willing to wait in a long line for their favorite chicken satay while enjoying coffee and various snacks.

In addition to being indulged with coffee and food, visitors to the Indonesian Coffee House were also serenaded by music from young bands such as Sedayu Band and Bandit Band, as well as singers Dimas and Ayu who performed various Indonesian songs, including inviting visitors to sing and dance along.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi visited the Indonesian Coffee House while she was in transit in Amsterdam on her way from Paris to Jakarta. She had the opportunity to meet with the Indonesia Satu culinary team and the Indonesian diaspora.

According to the committee, the 2016 Taste of Amsterdam was attended by 125 renowned restaurants and cafés from all over the Netherlands and its duration was extended by one day. Each year this event is attended by around 30,000 visitors, primarily people of productive age. It is estimated that each visitor spends 50 euros on food and drinks at the event.